The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1887-04-01

| About l0O yards behind the horses lazy wa
walking
"Ah," said Bessie, ''they'vo caught tn
horses, and here IL jess como to SEQ what
the matter"
BY this time tho lady in question was quit
close, so that John was able to get first i'm
preston Of her. She was small and rattle
thin, with quantities OF curling brown hair
not by any means a lovely woman, as her sis
ter undoubtedly was, but possessing two yer,
remarkable characterstics-a complexion o
extraordinary and uniform pallor, and u pa
of the most beautiful dark eyes he had owe
looked on. Altogether, though her size wa
almost insignificant, she was Il striking look
ing person, with face one was not likely t.
forget. Before he had time to observe any
more they were up to them.
"What on earth Is the matter, Bessie?" sh,
said, with quick glance at her companion
and speaking in low, full voice, with just .
slight South African accent, that is taking
enough in q pretty woman. Whcrcupoi
Bessie broke out with history Of their adj
venture, appealing to her companion for con
firmation at intervals.
Meanwhile her sister, jess, stood quite still
and SILENT and it struck Capt. Mel that hei
face was the most singuarly impassivc one
when her sister told how the ostrich rolled on
her and nearly killed her, or how they finally
subdued the foe. "Dear me-" he thought To
himself, "what very remarkable woman.
She can't have much heart" But just as he
thought 1t the girl looked up, and then he
saw where the expression lay 1t was in
those remarkable eyes. Inpassive as her face
was, the dark eyes were alight with life and a
sort of excitement that made them shine
| goriously. The contrast between the shining
eyes and the impassivc face beneath them
| struck him as SO extraordinary as to DO al
most uncanny; and, as matter Of fact, it
was doubtless both unusual and remarkable.
"You have had a wonderful escape, but |
am sorry for the Bird" she said at last.
"Whyw asked John.
because we were great friends. / was the
only person who could manage him."
"Yes," put in Bessie, "the savage brute
would follow her about like a dog. 1t was
just tho oldest thing ever saw. But, come
on we must be getting home; it's growing
dark. Moati" (medicine) addressing the
Kafiir in Zulu-"help Capt. Mel on to his
horse. BE careful that the saddle does not
twist round; the girths may be loose"
Thus adjuIed, John, with the help Of the
Zulu, clambered into his saddle an example
that the lady quickly followed, and they once
moro set off through the gathering darkness.
Presently lie became aware that they were
passing up adrive borlered by tall blue gums,
and next minute the barking Of largo dog
and the sudden appearance of lighted windows
told him that they had reached the house.
At tho door-or, rather, opposite to it, for
there. was n veranda in front-thcy stopped
and got off their horses. As they did So out
Of tho house there came shout Of welcome,
and presently i'll the doorway, showing out
clear against the light, appeared q strik-
ing and, in its way, most pleasant figure.
He-for it was nlan-was very tall, or,
rather, he had been very tall. Now he was
much bent with age and rheumatism. His
long white hair hung low upon his neck, and
fell back from prominent brow. The top
of the head was quite bald, like the tonsure of
a priest, and shone and glistened in the lamp
light, and round this oasis the thin white
locks fell down. The face was shriveled like |
the surface of a we'll kept apple, and, like an
apple, rosy red. The features were aquiline |
and well marked, the eyebrows still black |
and very bushy, and beneath them shone a |
pair of gray eyes, as keen and bright as |
hawks But for all its sharpness, there was |
nothing unpleasant or fierce about the face |
On the contrary, it was pervaled by re-
air of good nature and shrewdncss
For all the rest, the man was dressed in rough
tweed Clothes tall riding boots, and held a
broad brimmed Boer hunting hat il his
hand. Such was the outer man of old S;ilas
Croft. one OF the most remarkable men in tho
as John Mel first saw him.
as that you, Capt. Nielr roared out the
stentorian voice. "Isle natives said you were
coming a welcome to you! / am glad to
sec yo,l-yery glad. Why, what is the mat
ter with you@ he went on as the Zulu Mou.i |
ran to help him OFF his horse.
MATER, Mr. CIoft!' answered John;
'why, the matter is that your favorite es-
Ilich ha, nearly Killed me and your niece
lerc, IN that have killed your fasorito ts-
.ri"l,.'
The. Showed explanations from BESSIE,
.uring which he was helped OF his horse and
nto the iiolse.
1T serves III, right said tho Of man
10 think Of il now, jls5 TO i.;ilk Of it.
Well, Bessie. my love, tam. Col that yoa
and you, too, Capt. Mel. Here,
iou boys, take the Scotch cart and % coupl,
# oxen, and go and fetch The bratc l:o'nc.
We may as well have the feathers or him, at
NY rate, before the aasyogels (yul.u.r) tear
in, To bits"
After lie he'd washed himself and tended
is injuries with a,nica and water, john man
ged to get into the principal sitting room,
where supper was waiting. It was a very
leasant room, furnished in European style,
nd was,calpeted with mats made of spring
uck skins. In tho corner was u piano, and {
Y it bookcase, filled with the works Of
.aIdard authors, the property, rs John
lightly guessed, of Bessie's sister, jess.
Supper went off pleasantly enough, and S
ftcr it was over tho two girls sang and
layed while the men smoked And here +
'esh surprise awaited him, for after Bessie
no had now apparently almost recovered c
'om her mauling, had played pic:s or two a
reditably enough, jess, who so far hal been .
carly silent, sat down to The piano. She did J.
OF do this willingly, indeed. for it was not u
ntil her patrarclIal uncle had insisted in
is ringing, CHEEKY voice that she should a
{ Capt Mel hear how she could sing b
lat she consented. But at last she dill
,nsent, and then, after letting her fin p
FRS stray somewhat nimlcssly along the VI
lords, she suddenly broke cut into such song IL
John Mel had never heard before. Her | s.
Dice, beautiful as it was, was not what is 4,
lown as n cultivated voice, and it was a | b
ernan song, and therefore he did not IN f,
,istand it, but there was no need of words | t,
translate its burden. Passion, despairing | W
It hoping through its despair, echoed in its CO
cry line, and loye-unending lovc-hovered i'd
Ter the glorious notcs-ilay, descended upon | r
EN- Ike n spirit and made them his. Up, b,
rang her wild, sweet voice. thrilling lis | sc
rves tillthey answered to the music rs an | ei
,olinn harp answers TO the winds. On went to
c song with divine swee }, like the sweep | W
rushing p;nions; higher, higher, yet higher ! I'll
SCARED, lifting up the listeners heart far sd
'ove the world OH the trembling wings CT ht
even higher till the in,isic hung To
hel t,eI's caf, and then IL fall sNifiiY rs | NJ